Method and apparatus for ordering goods, services and content over an internetwork using a virtual payment account

Abstract

A virtual payment system for paying for goods, services and content ordered over an internetwork comprising a commerce gateway component and a credit processing server component ( 53 ) is disclosed. Buyers and sellers becomes registered participants by applying for virtual payment buyer and seller accounts. Once an account is established, a digital certificate is stored on the registered participant's computer. A buyer can then order a product, i.e., goods, services or content from a seller and charge it to the virtual payment account. When the product is shipped, the seller notifies the commerce gateway component, which in turn notifies the credit processing server, which applies the charges to the buyer's virtual payment account. The buyer can settle the charges using a prepaid account, a credit account, or by using reward points earned through use of the virtual payment card. A buyer may create sub-accounts.

1 . Computer-readable medium having executable components stored on a buyer computer, a seller computer, and a commerce gateway for purchasing a product from a seller computer using a virtual payment account associated with the buyer computer, wherein the executable components purchase the product by:
 in response to receiving a purchase request from a buyer computer to purchase a product from a seller computer using a virtual payment account, the commerce gateway determining whether the buyer computer is associated with the virtual payment account and whether the virtual payment account is valid;   in response to the commerce gateway determining that the buyer computer is associated with the virtual payment account and that the virtual payment account is valid, the commerce gateway applying a cost of the product to the virtual payment account; and   the seller computer arranging to provide the product to a buyer associated with said buyer computer.   
     
     
         2 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the buyer computer is associated with the virtual payment account and whether the virtual payment account is valid comprises:
 the buyer computer retrieving a digital certificate;   transmitting an authentication request including the digital certificate from the buyer computer to the commerce gateway;   determining whether the virtual payment account is valid;   determining whether the virtual payment account is associated with the buyer computer; and   transmitting an account identification container from the commerce gateway to the buyer computer in response to determining that the buyer computer is associated with the virtual payment account and that the virtual payment account is valid.   
     
     
         3 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in the memory of the buyer computer. 
     
     
         4 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in a secure token. 
     
     
         5 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 2 , wherein applying a cost of the product to the virtual payment account comprises:
 said seller computer receiving an account identification container;   said seller computer transmitting the account identification container and the cost of the product to the commerce gateway;   the commerce gateway determining whether the virtual payment account may be charged for the cost of the product; and   in response to the commerce gateway determining that the virtual payment account may be charged for the cost of said product, transmitting a valid transaction authorization from the commerce gateway to the seller computer.   
     
     
         6 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in the memory of the buyer computer. 
     
     
         7 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in a secure token. 
     
     
         8 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 5 , wherein the executable components are also stored on a credit processing server and wherein the credit processing server determines whether the virtual payment account is associate with the buyer computer. 
     
     
         9 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in the memory of the buyer computer. 
     
     
         10 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in a secure token. 
     
     
         11 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein applying a cost of the product to the virtual payment account comprises:
 said seller computer receiving an account identification container;   said seller computer transmitting the account identification container and the cost of the product to the commerce gateway;   the commerce gateway determining whether the virtual payment account may be charged for the cost of the product; and   in response to the commerce gateway determining that the virtual payment account may be charged for the cost of said product, transmitting a valid transaction authorization from the commerce gateway to the seller computer.   
     
     
         12 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in the memory of the buyer computer. 
     
     
         13 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 11 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in a secure token. 
     
     
         14 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 8 , wherein the credit processing server also determines whether the virtual payment account is valid. 
     
     
         15 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in the memory of the buyer computer. 
     
     
         16 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in a secure token. 
     
     
         17 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 14 , wherein applying a cost of the product to the virtual payment account comprises:
 said seller computer receiving an account identification container;   said seller computer transmitting the account identification container and the cost of the product to the commerce gateway;   the commerce gateway determining whether the virtual payment account may be charged for the cost of the product; and   in response to the commerce gateway determining that the virtual payment account may be charged for the cost of said product, transmitting a valid transaction authorization from the commerce gateway to the seller computer.   
     
     
         18 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in the memory of the buyer computer. 
     
     
         19 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 17 , wherein the digital certificate is stored in a secure token. 
     
     
         20 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein determining whether the buyer computer is associated with the virtual payment account comprises:
 transmitting an authentication request from the buyer computer to the commerce gateway;   sending an authentication message from the commerce gateway to a buyer authentication device;   retrieving the alternate authentication message;   verifying the alternate authentication message with the commerce gateway; and   in response to verifying the alternate authentication message, determining that the buyer computer is associated with the virtual payment account.   
     
     
         21 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 20 , wherein applying a cost of the product to the virtual payment account comprises:
 the seller computer receiving an account identification container;   the seller computer transmitting the account identification container and the cost of the product to the commerce gateway;   the commerce gateway determining whether the virtual payment account may be charged for the cost of the product; and   in response to the commerce gateway determining that the virtual payment account may be charged for the cost of said product, transmitting a valid transaction authorization from the commerce gateway to the seller computer.   
     
     
         22 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 1 , wherein if the buyer computer cannot retrieve the digital certificate, determining whether the buyer computer is associated with the virtual payment account comprises:
 transmitting an authentication request from the buyer computer to the commerce gateway;   sending an authentication message from the commerce gateway to a buyer authentication device;   retrieving the alternate authentication message;   verifying the alternate authentication message with the commerce gateway; and   in response to verifying the alternate authentication message, determining that the buyer computer is associated with the virtual payment account.   
     
     
         23 . The computer-readable medium of  claim 22 , wherein applying a cost of the product to the virtual payment account comprises:
 the seller computer receiving an account identification container;   the seller computer transmitting the account identification container and the cost of the product to the commerce gateway;   the commerce gateway determining whether the virtual payment account may be charged for the cost of the product; and   in response to the commerce gateway determining that the virtual payment account may be charged for the cost of said product, transmitting a valid transaction authorization from the commerce gateway to the seller computer.